These days, several JavaScript frameworks are widely used for web development. We already learnt about the MEAN stack technology in an earlier post. Besides, there are a few more, such as Ember.js, min.js and Spine. You can refer to this post for more information on various frameworks for front-end JavaScript development. Today, we will discuss about Backbone.js and try to explore some online resources for learning Backbone technology.
What is Backbone.js?
Backbone.js is a minimalist JavaScript framework, which is based on the model-view-controller (MVC) application design architecture. But, it does not enforce the use of controllers and it can also be used as a model-view-view-model (MVVM) framework. Models represent the business object while views are visible to the user for data consumption. Controllers facilitate the interaction between models and views and update them according to the user’s input.
Backbone is widely used for developing single-page web applications. There are a lot of popular Backbone applications in use, such as BitTorrent, Foursquare, DocumentCloud and Pinterest.
Also See: 18 Resources on ES6 for JavaScript Developers
Why Backbone.js is important for developers?
Backbone.js is a JavaScript library which allows synchronizing different parts of web applications (for instance, multiple clients and the server). Backbone.js framework is quite useful for data structuring while building a web application using JavaScript. It provides models with key-value binding and custom events as well as collections (group of models) with a rich API of enumerable functions.
Backbone.js exposes data through a RESTful API, which means server communication through a RESTful API can allow handling multiple clients. Besides browser, Backbone.js is useful for connecting with multiple clients through mobile devices, tablets, Google Goggles and electronic fridges.
Backbone.js Features
Backbone allows creating models for organizing our data structures in an application. It allows representing data as models. These models can be created, validated, deleted and saved to the server. Thus, whenever a user interface (UI) action causes an attribute of a model to change, the model triggers a “change” event and the views simply update themselves.
Moreover, you can create a view for each model or have a view that renders thousands of models at once. Backbone allows developers to define the HTML and associate with a view, either directly or through some templating engine. Though, it remains separate from the view object. Backbone views are used to reflect the applications’ data models as well as to listen to events and react accordingly.
So, we can say that Backbone.js helps to keep the business logic separate from the user interface, more commonly called as the separation of concerns. Moreover, you can perform routing to update the browser URL within Backbone applications. This is helpful for internal linking, bookmarking and sharing URLs.
Backbone is pre-configured to sync with a (Representational State Transfer)RESTful JSON API. Backbone.js has only one dependency, which is Underscore.js, a JavaScript library. It offers various ways to manipulate your data using Underscore methods, which are 46 iteration functions in all.
Planning to learn Backbone.js?
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Backbone.js is a light-weight JavaScript library that allows developing and structuring client-side applications that run in a web browser. It offers an MVC framework which abstracts data into models, DOM into views and binds these two using events. Backbone.js is the future building block for designing complex user interfaces and structured single-page web applications. So, if you are planning to learn about Backbone technology, then you can refer to the following list of online resources. I have put together a list of 12 online resources for learning Backbone technology. So, just go ahead and start learning.
1. DocumentCloud
DocumentCloud is the originator of the Backbone.js open-source project. DocumentCloud is a web-based software platform developed for journalists to provide aid in news reporting, such as document search, annotation and publication. It has released several resources on GitHub for learning Backbone.js. It includes a vast collection of Backbone.js tutorials, examples of Backbone projects and more.
2. Backbone Tutorials
Backbone Tutorials is a useful online destination for finding some good text-based as well as video tutorials on Backbone.js. Here, you can learn about models, views, collections, modules and more. The website also features some examples of sample Backbone projects.
Also Read: How Node.js is changing the way we use JavaScript
3. cdnjs
This website is home to text tutorials on several important backbone.js topics. Some of them include Real-Time Backbone with PubNub, SEO for single-page apps, Cross-domain Backbone.js with sessions using CORS and more.
4. Backbone.js CookBook
This book is suitable for JavaScript developers who want to learn building front-end web applications using an MVC pattern. This book teaches various topics, such as rendering data with Backbone views, using HTML5 for storing models and collections and creating mobile apps with JQuery Mobile and PhoneGap.
5. Udemy
World’s leading online platform for technology courses, Udemy offers a complete video course for mastering Backbone.js. ‘The Complete Backbone.js course from Beginner to Advanced’ has 6 hours of video content comprising 61 lectures. The course teaches to write JavaScript code with Backbone.js as well as to build single-page and client applications with Backbone.js.
Must See: 6 Tips for Becoming a Better JavaScript Developer
6. Code School
Code School offers a complete video course to impart training on building sophisticated web applications using Backbone.js. ‘Anatomy of Backbone.js’ has an extensive course curriculum which is broken down in to 7 levels. Each level has an individual video lesson and several code challenges to offer.
7. Plural Sight
Plural Sight offers a full-fledged video course explaining the core concepts of Backbone.js. The course called as ‘Backbone.js Fundamentals’ spans around 5 hours and provides training on several useful topics, such as models, views, temlpating, routing, collections and more.
8. Tutsplus
Tutsplus is home to several online courses on major technologies. It offers a complete text-based tutorial on learning Backbone.js in a simple manner. The course ‘Getting to Know Backbone.js’ covers basic concepts of Backbone.js while teaching to build a contacts manager. It introduces topics, such as adding/removing models from a collection, rendering views, adding routers and using events.
Also Check: 15 JavaScript Template Engines for Front-end Development
9. TutorialsPoint
TutorialsPoint offers a complete text-based course on learning Backbone.js. It is ideal for software programmers who want to gain knowledge with suitable Backbone.js examples. The course covers important topics, such as environment setup, events, models, router, view and history.
10. O’Reilly Media
O’Reilly Media is a popular platform for exploring articles, blog posts, study guides, books and other educational material on a range of technology subjects. It already has several e-books written by popular authors on learning Backbone.js, such as Backbone.js Essentials, Developing Backbone.js Applications and Backbone.js Testing.
11. Code Project
Code Project features a series of Backbone.js tutorials, categorized in to 8 sections. Each section shares useful insight on the various core concepts and functions of Backbone.js. It offers text tutorials on Backbone models, views, collections, events, routes and history.
Also See: 16 Online JavaScript Editors for Web Developers
12. Lynda.com
Lynda.com is a good website to scout for some video tutorials for learning Backbone.js concepts. Currently, it has 23 video lessons to offer that deal with useful topics of Backbone.js applications. ‘Up and Running with Backbone.js’ teaches to build web pages with Backbone.js.
Conclusion:
The most important part in any Backbone project is to bind models and collections to views. Models form the backbone of any JavaScript application. It consists of the interactive data as well as a major portion of the logic surrounding it, such as conversions, validations, computed properties and access control. Besides, a majority of courses focus on view functionality and using views with a JavaScript templating library.
Learning to develop Backbone.js applications is not difficult at all. A plethora of online learning resources are available and you simply need to have a basic knowledge of JavaScript. But, there are also a few websites on the list that let you learn to write JavaScript code with Backbone.js. So, I would urge upon the readers to not waste any more time. Just grab the best option suitable for you and begin to learn right away.
Learning something new is always an exciting thing to do. Good Luck!
